Audio systems for generating sound on personal watercraft and other recreational vehicles

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a personal watercraft that includes a hull including a deflectable panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface, an audio source for generating an audio signal, and an audio tactile transducer mounted to the interior surface of the deflectable panel. The audio tactile transducer includes a transducer enclosure, an audio generating device within the transducer enclosure, and an audio input for transmitting the audio signal from the audio source to the audio generating device. The audio generating device is configured to vibrate the deflectable panel based upon the audio signal in order to generate audible sound emanating from the exterior surface of the deflectable panel. The personal watercraft also includes a protective outer shell surrounding the transducer enclosure.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A personal watercraft comprising:
 a) a hull including a deflectable panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface; 
 b) an audio source for generating an audio signal; 
 c) an audio tactile transducer mounted to the interior surface of the deflectable panel, the audio tactile transducer including: a transducer enclosure, an audio generating device within the transducer enclosure, and an audio input for transmitting the audio signal from the audio source to the audio generating device, the audio generating device being configured to vibrate the deflectable panel based upon the audio signal in order to generate audible sound emanating from the exterior surface of the deflectable panel; and 
 d) a protective outer shell surrounding and engaging the transducer enclosure; 
 e) wherein the transducer enclosure includes a base portion, an upper portion, and a sidewall extending therebetween, the upper portion having an outer top surface and the sidewall having an outer side surface, and wherein the protective outer shell includes:
 i) a top shell portion engaging the outer top surface of the transducer enclosure; and 
 ii) a side shell portion engaging the outer side surface of the transducer enclosure. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting plate for mounting the audio tactile transducer to the interior surface of the deflectable panel. 
     
     
       3. The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the audio tactile transducer is mounted to the interior surface of the hull at a location that is normally above water. 
     
     
       4. The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the audio generating device of the audio tactile transducer includes:
 a) a voice coil located within the transducer enclosure and being configured to receive the audio signal through the audio input; and 
 b) a magnet located within the transducer enclosure adjacent to the voice coil; 
 wherein the magnet and the voice coil are configured to move relative to each other for vibrating the deflectable panel based upon the audio signal in order to generate audible sound emanating from the exterior surface of the deflectable panel. 
 
     
     
       5. An audio system for a recreational vehicle having a vehicle body that includes a deflectable panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the audio system comprising:
 a) an audio source for generating an audio signal; 
 b) an audio tactile transducer for being mounted to the interior surface of the deflectable panel, the audio tactile transducer including: a transducer enclosure, an audio generating device within the transducer enclosure, and an audio input for transmitting the audio signal from the audio source to the audio generating device, the audio generating device being configured to vibrate the deflectable panel based upon the audio signal in order to generate audible sound emanating from the exterior surface of the deflectable panel; and 
 c) a protective outer shell surrounding and engaging the transducer enclosure; 
 d) wherein the transducer enclosure includes a base portion, an upper portion, and a sidewall extending therebetween, the upper portion having an outer top surface and the sidewall having an outer side surface, and wherein the protective outer shell includes:
 i) a top shell portion engaging the outer top surface of the transducer enclosure; and 
 ii) a side shell portion engaging the outer side surface of the transducer enclosure. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The audio system of  claim 5 , further comprising a mounting plate for mounting the audio tactile transducer to the interior surface of the deflectable panel. 
     
     
       7. The audio system of  claim 5  wherein the audio generating device of the audio tactile transducer includes:
 a) a voice coil located within the transducer enclosure and being configured to receive the audio signal through the audio input; and 
 b) a magnet located within the transducer enclosure adjacent to the voice coil; 
 wherein the magnet and the voice coil are configured to move relative to each other for vibrating the deflectable panel based upon the audio signal in order to generate audible sound emanating from the exterior surface of the deflectable panel. 
 
     
     
       8. An audio transducer assembly for generating audible sound from a deflectable panel of a recreational vehicle, the audio transducer assembly comprising:
 a) an audio tactile transducer for being mounted to an interior surface of the deflectable panel, the audio tactile transducer including: a transducer enclosure, an audio generating device within the transducer enclosure, and an audio input for receiving and transmitting an audio signal to the audio generating device, the audio generating device being configured to vibrate the deflectable panel based upon the audio signal in order to generate audible sound emanating from an exterior surface of the deflectable panel; and 
 b) a protective outer shell surrounding and engaging the transducer enclosure; 
 c) wherein the transducer enclosure includes a base portion, an upper portion, and a sidewall extending therebetween, the upper portion having an outer top surface and the sidewall having an outer side surface, and wherein the protective outer shell includes:
 i) a top shell portion engaging the outer top surface of the transducer enclosure; and 
 ii) a side shell portion engaging the outer side surface of the transducer enclosure. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a mounting plate for mounting the audio tactile transducer to the interior surface of the deflectable panel. 
     
     
       10. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the mounting plate includes a base plate and a first connector for attachment to a second connector on a base portion of the transducer enclosure. 
     
     
       11. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first connector on the mounting plate includes a threaded stud and the second connector on the base portion of the transducer enclosure includes a threaded sleeve for receiving the threaded stud. 
     
     
       12. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a gap is located between the mounting plate and the protective outer shell. 
     
     
       13. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the protective outer shell abuts the mounting plate and is secured thereto. 
     
     
       14. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the outer side surface of the transducer enclosure is generally circular, and wherein the side shell portion of the protective outer shell is circular. 
     
     
       15. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the protective outer shell includes at least one reinforcing rib extending along at least one of the top shell portion and the side shell portion. 
     
     
       16. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one reinforcing rib extends along both the top shell portion and the side shell portion. 
     
     
       17. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one reinforcing rib includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs. 
     
     
       18. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the protective outer shell is adhered to the transducer enclosure. 
     
     
       19. The audio transducer assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the audio generating device of the audio tactile transducer includes:
 a) a voice coil located within the transducer enclosure and being configured to receive the audio signal through the audio input; and 
 b) a magnet located within the transducer enclosure adjacent to the voice coil; 
 wherein the magnet and the voice coil are configured to move relative to each other for vibrating the deflectable panel based upon the audio signal in order to generate audible sound emanating from the exterior surface of the deflectable panel. 
 
     
     
       20. A method of installing an audio system on a recreation vehicle having a vehicle body that includes a deflectable panel, the method comprising:
 a) mounting an audio tactile transducer to an interior surface of the deflectable panel, the transducer having a transducer enclosure, the transducer enclosure having a base portion, an upper portion, and a sidewall extending therebetween, the upper portion having an outer top surface and the sidewall having an outer side surface; 
 b) connecting the audio tactile transducer to an audio source, the audio tactile transducer being configured to receive an audio signal from the audio source; and 
 c) covering and surrounding the audio tactile transducer with a protective outer shell, the protective outer shell including:
 i) a top shell portion engaging the outer top surface of the transducer enclosure; and 
 ii) a side shell portion engaging the outer side surface of the transducer enclosure. 
 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , furthering comprising adhering the protective outer shell to the audio tactile transducer. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the protective outer shell is adhered to the audio tactile transducer using an epoxy. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising curing the epoxy. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the vehicle body is a hull of a personal watercraft, and the audio tactile transducer is mounted to the interior surface of the hull at a location that is normally above water. 
     
     
       25. A method of operating an audio system on a recreational vehicle having a vehicle body that includes a deflectable panel, the method comprising:
 a) generating an audio signal; 
 b) transmitting the audio signal to an audio tactile transducer mounted to an interior surface of the deflectable panel, the audio tactile transducer being surrounded by a protective outer shell, the audio tactile transducer having a transducer enclosure, the transducer enclosure having a base portion, an upper portion, and a sidewall extending therebetween, the upper portion having an outer top surface and the sidewall having an outer side surface, and wherein the protective outer shell includes:
 i) a top shell portion engaging the outer top surface of the transducer enclosure; and 
 ii) a side shell portion engaging the outer side surface of the transducer enclosure; and 
 
 c) vibrating the deflectable panel using the audio tactile transducer based upon the audio signal in order to generate audible sound emanating from an exterior surface of the deflectable panel. 
 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the vehicle body is a hull of a personal watercraft, and the audio tactile transducer is mounted to the interior surface of the hull at a location that is normally above water such that vibrating the deflectable panel generates audible sound emanating from the exterior surface of the hull above the water.